A gap left in the associate dean position in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences administration will be filled temporarily by a psychology professor.

Douglas Epperson, professor of psychology, has been named the interim associate dean for administrative affairs, a position previously held by Michael Whiteford, professor of anthropology.

Beginning Sept. 1, Whiteford will officially begin his duties as interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The LAS College was searching for someone with administrative experience, Whiteford said.

Recognizing Epperson’s experience as both the interim chair of the philosophy department and his leadership positions, administrators saw Epperson as a quality choice, he said.

“He’s sort of a seasoned veteran on how these things work,” Whiteford said.

Epperson’s knowledge of social sciences was another factor in the decision, Whiteford said.

“We, as a group, wanted to replace me as a social scientist with another social scientist,” he said.

While he will continue to teach one class during this fall semester, Epperson said he is obliged to give up his other leadership roles for the duration of his one-year appointment as interim associate dean.

“This is a full-time administrative position,” he said. “I will be continuing research and the advising of graduate students, but I will be stepping down from these positions.”

Aside from teaching, Epperson has been serving on the Counseling Psychology Program Committee since arriving at Iowa State in 1979 as an assistant professor of psychology. He co-directed the committee from 1991 until the fall of 2002, he said. He became the sole director in 2002.

Since 1998, Epperson has also served as interim director in the Office of Precollegiate Programs for Talented and Gifted, a program that identifies children In excelling in school and provides information and advanced courses for them.

Epperson has also served as associate chair for the department of psychology from since 1999.

When Epperson entered the role of interim associate dean, he accepted the possibility that he may continue in the position or be appointed to another position when a new dean is hired.

“Nobody really knows what will happen,” Epperson said.

The search for a new dean will take place over the next year, and the new dean will possibly make administrative changes, he said

“The dean will decide who he or she would like to be their associate dean,” he said.

Whiteford said he was pleased Epperson was interested and agreed to the position, even though it would be a burden on the psychology department to lose a top administrator.

“This is, in many ways, a level of sacrifice,” he said. “We are appreciative and grateful to the department of psychology.”

Epperson specializes in counseling psychology, a field in which he received his doctorate from Ohio State University in 1979.

As interim associate dean for the LAS College, Epperson will oversee both personnel and budget issues as well as coordinate the social science division, he said.